Why Tony Dungy just called out Kamala Harris

Tony Dungy has an issue with Vice President Kamala Harris’ claims about faith and abortion.
The former NFL coach and current NFL analyst called out Harris on Thursday, explaining that her ideas about faith are not like his own.
“Exactly what ‘faith’ are you talking about when you say you don’t have to abandon it to support abortion? Are you talking about the Christian faith that says all babies are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26), that God places them in the womb (Jer 1:5) and that we should not take any life unjustly (Luke 18:20)?” Dungy posted on X.
Dungy’s comments came in response to a post from Harris’ personal X account featuring a comment she made about abortion during the Sept. 10 presidential debate.
Harris said then that religious Americans are among those who object to strict state-level abortion bans, as the Deseret News previously reported.
“One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government, and Donald Trump certainly, should not be telling a woman what to do with her body,” Harris said.
In his post Thursday, Dungy argued that you do have to abandon the Christian faith to promote abortion rights.
If you aren’t abandoning your faith, then it must mean you have a very different idea of what being religious entails, he implied.
“Are you talking about that faith or some nebulous, general ‘faith’ that says we’re good enough, and smart enough to make our own decisions? What ‘faith’ are you talking about?,” Dungy wrote.
Dungy is far from the only Christian to believe the Bible is against abortion, but Harris’ view is common, too.
Research has shown that majorities of many major faith groups support abortion rights.
For example, Pew Research Center reported earlier this year that most Catholics (59%), Black Protestants (71%) and white nonevangelical Protestants (64%) in the United States believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
Harris, who identifies as Christian and belongs to a Baptist church, has made protecting abortion access a key part of her pitch to voters.
Dungy’s comments Thursday are unsurprising if you’ve followed his life outside of football.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer has taken part in the March for Life in Washington, D.C., and he posts regularly on social media about his Christian faith and his opposition to abortion.
In the lead up to the election, Dungy has been posting often about his opposition to Florida’s Amendment 4, a proposed amendment that aims to protect access to abortion in the state.